WASHINGTON — Pete Hegseth, a prominent conservative commentator and former Army National Guard officer, was confirmed as secretary of defense on Friday in a razor-thin 51-50 Senate vote, with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote.
Hegseth’s nomination, backed strongly by President Donald Trump, faced stiff opposition from Senate Democrats and three Republican senators—Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine—who voted against his confirmation.
The vice president’s tie-breaking vote marked only the second time in U.S. history that a vice president has cast the decisive vote for a Cabinet nominee, the first being Mike Pence for Betsy DeVos in 2017.
In brief remarks following his confirmation, Hegseth thanked Trump, Vance, and the Senate for their support, declaring, “This is for the troops. For the warriors. For our country. America First. Every day. We will never back down.”
Hegseth, who has been a vocal advocate of the “America First” foreign policy agenda, will now lead the Pentagon amid heightened global tensions and evolving national security challenges. His critics have expressed concerns about his lack of high-level leadership experience within the Department of Defense, citing his previous controversial statements on military and political issues.